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While the majority of people see that their hair has turned totally white, you on the contrary, you ask why you don't have gray hair at 70? First to start, we will discuss the reasons for hair bleaching. Then in a second step we will see why you have no gray hair at 70 on your scalp.

Why does the hair turn white?

The hair bleaching process

Before finding out why you have no gray hair at 70, it is important to quickly discuss the phenomenon of canities to understand the mechanisms involved. Gray hair almost everyone ends up seeing it appear on their head, it is inevitable. This process is called canities. It is a natural phenomenon which is triggered when the melanocytes, the cells which are responsible for the color of the hair, decrease or stop their production of melanin. To explain it differently, your hair therefore continues to grow, but without pigmentation and therefore without coloring. Your hair will then gradually turn white.

The arrival of the first gray hairs is around 35 years for Europeans and can vary by more or less 10 years. This is an average, the individual reality is quite different. The occurrence of canities varies from one person to another and will often depend on genetics, but also on endogenous or external causes.

The causes of canities

• The natural aging of the body and melanocytes.
• Genetic. Usually the hair turns white at the same age as your parents' hair.
• An autoimmune disease, a physiological disorder or a specific pathology: thyroid disorder, vitiligo, Vogt-Koyanagi syndrome or Waardenburg syndrome, some cancers.
• Nutritional deficiencies. A deficit of certain nutrients (Zinc, copper, iron, amino acids) and a lack of vitamins (group A and B).
• A bad lifestyle: stress, tobacco, bad diet, excessive and continuous fatigue ...
• An emotional shock: death, accident, trauma ...

That said, it happens in very rare cases that some people do not have white hair, and this all their life or until old age such as 70 years.

Why don't you have gray hair at 70?

There are very big differences between the ages of development of the canities. While some people already notice the appearance of gray hair at 20 years old, others do not have it until much later. And still others never see their hair turn white. But where does this specificity come from? To date, there is no official response to this phenomenon, however some explanations about this have been made by scientific experiments. You will find them below.

You have no gray hair at 70 thanks to genetics

Our genetic inheritance constitutes an essential role in the bleaching of the hair more or less prematurely. Three reasons can explain why you don't have gray hair at 70:

• Scientists have identified the gene involved in bleaching hair: the IRF4 gene. Indeed, for this a team of researchers studied more than 6 individuals from Latin America with very diverse origins and therefore different types of hair. They came to the realization that this discomfort is involved in triggering the process of canities. It would be likely to activate in different ways in individuals and never act on others. This would have the consequence of causing a total absence of white hair. However, this study is still in its infancy. Other genes and many other factors could also be involved in the disparities in the development of white hair between individuals.

• It is proven that the ethnic group acts on the more or less rapid development of canities. On average, the development of white hair in Europeans is approximately 35 years old, while for Asians it is around 40 years old and finally for Africans around 45 years old. 

• The aging of cells is not the same in individuals. Therefore, in some melanocytes never die or at a very old age thus the process of canities may be delayed or non-existent. Thus, the melanocytes produce the pigmentation of the hair eternally and as a result even at 70 years old you do not have white hair appearing.

Your hair does not bleach at 70 thanks to your lifestyle

There are internal factors that influence hair bleaching, as we have just seen. But there are also external factors that play an essential role. Healthy lifestyle has always been a factor in understanding hair bleaching. The fact that some people do not have a single white hair, even at 70, may be due to a healthy and harmonious lifestyle that you have always had. Indeed, the melanocytes would have a sensitivity to oxidative stress. Diet, smoking and chronic stress all take their toll on the body. These can activate the oxidation of cells and sometimes cause inflammation which reduces the production of melanin. 

Some tips to keep your hair looking beautiful at 70

Even if you have no gray hair at 70, maintaining your hair is essential to keep it in excellent health. Here is our advice on the subject: 

• Eat a balanced diet and consume foods rich in trace elements, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.
• Avoid fast food and processed foods filled with toxins that saturate the liver.
• Regularly massage the scalp to activate the blood flow to your hair follicles. You can make them using a vegetable oil. Coconut, jojoba and almond oils rich in vitamin E help maintain healthy hair.
• Avoid doing too frequent and harmful stains such as those containing ammonia. If you can, use natural hair colors instead.
• Apply natural masks with antioxidant ingredients to the scalp. Sage or curry leaves, avocado, and onion are renowned for their antioxidant characteristics.
• Avoid the use of shampoos that are too harmful (sulfate, silicone, quats) for the hair and try to space their use as far as possible (if you can, no more than twice a week). Prefer the purchase of natural shampoo.
• Try not to expose your hair too much to heat sources that are too high, such as the straightener, the sun or the hair dryer at too high a temperature.